Every finger in your hand is connected to a planet. The thumb is connected to Mars. Mars stays alone. The index finger is connected to Jupiter (Jupiter shows the path; it is the teacher). When you want to show something, you show it using the index finger; this is Jupiter. The middle finger is connected to Saturn; Saturn is the servant. The ring finger is connected to the Sun; the Sun is the king. And who owns the jewels? The king, and so you put rings only on the ring finger. That’s why it’s called the ring finger. The little finger is connected to Mercury. So when you do chin mudra, what is happening? The index finger (Jupiter) and the thumb (Mars) come together, and that is wisdom and power.

Why is the thumb connected to Mars? It is because whenever you win, what do you do? You put your thumbs up. Thumbs up is a sign of victory. When you lose, what do you do? You put your thumbs down. So, these gestures are built into us.

Planets are connected to all parts of your body

Different planets affect different parts of your body. Your teeth are connected to Saturn. Your eyes are connected to the Sun; your cheeks are connected to Venus; your forehead to Mercury; and your nose to Jupiter. I mean this as the connection of the microcosm with the macrocosm. It is so fascinating!

Your moods and the planets

Similarly, moods depend on the moon. A mood does not stay for more than two and a quarter days. That is the amount of time the moon is in one place. The moment the moon moves from that place, your mood also changes. And when the moon and Saturn combine, people get depressed. So these emotions, these feelings, they come, and they go away. Nothing is permanent. No planet is permanently stationary in one place. They all move. But when you identify yourself with any one of these emotions, you get stuck. That’s when you don’t move. 
That is when it infiltrates into your body, and you get sick, and all such things happen. Isn’t it fascinating? So what is the way? How to move on from that?

On a cloudy day, when a flight takes off, what does it do? It goes above the clouds, and then there is sunshine. That is what spiritual practices are. They move us away from the Chit Akasha (the space of the mind) to the Chida Akasha (the space of pure consciousness). We move beyond all emotions.

Nine planets moving through the twelve constellations bring 108 units of change. So, to enhance the good effects and reduce the maleficent effects, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is chanted 108 times. That uplifts you, uplifts your spirit, and takes you beyond. It connects you to the Chida Akash (space of pure consciousness).

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Editor’s note:
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